Ditching machine



R. C. CHATTIN DITCHING MACHINE June 5, 1928:

3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March l5', 1925 A TTORNE-Y.

June 5, 192s.Y

R. c. ACHATTIN DITCHING- MACHINE Filed' Maron 15, 1925 A TTORN E Y.

R. c. *cHA'rTlNl DITCHING MACHINE File@ March l1. 192%,

A TTORNE Y.

Patented June 5, 1928.` i

ROBERT C.' CHATTN, OF MOUNTAIN' HQME, IDAHO.

Y DITCHING MACHINE.V y

Application IedMarQh 13, .1925.; SerialNo 15,272.

This. invention relatesI to ditching `ma-` chines7 more.y particularly toa deviceqadaptf edV 'tor use in; the' making of irrigationA ditches.y

Y The object'of the inventionis to provide acomparatively inexpensive apparatus .that

may; be .either drawn by use of'horses or byf the use of mechanical: power apparatus :and solconstructed and arranged-as to. produce la. flat-.bottomed ditch which allovvsa largefvolume or Water` to flow- Withoutfnecessityfof making' the-top of so great a Width as. the

, usual4 V typenotfdytchfand -thus saves a great amount of laboryinj theiactf. that a minimum amountofdirt need be` removed.y Thisy object is. secured principally.y through the arrangement permitting an-adjustenty of the angleof the share and mold board relative to the land side and maintaining the cutting edgefoftheshare at about a level- Wit-lrthe bottom o,tli' e landside thereby securing thel flat bottomedf ditch and utilizing in conjunction therewith a Wingfmemberfadjustable in both a horizontal and a vertical plane to formthe bank of the ditch and dispose ofthe removed earth. Y

A -further feature is involvedin the construction of the Wind member-Which is transversely curved at' theyrear enabling it to carry the-dirt received upY and` out of the ditchand at the same time turning it over, the purpose being to place the dirt higher on the bank and at a 'further distance from the bottom oithe ditchthan has heretoforebeen the practiceor is possible with the usual straight Wingheretofore usedin-many cases. In my improved construction thefwing has the earth engaging edge curved toward the rear end in a vertical plane. t

A furtherY object of Ythey invention is involved in the' -means providingy for; adjustment oit" the wing member relative to. the share permitting the rear-v portionotthe Wing to be swung'in a horizontal'planefrelm tive to the share portion and to; also,.be variedfin; anglerelative to the horizontal to any angle of about forty toforty-five `degrees with,v respect to theshore, the arrangement also providing that the Whole Wingr member may be varied in angle .to the vland side in ahorizontal planeand also provides thatthe rear portion of the Wing member may also `be moved to gtr-'greaterl or less degree. .relative to the-forward portion in .a horizontal` plane andy varied f iny verticalI position to enable, the materialto be thrown outwardly and up Wardly to agreater orless; extenhdepending upon thedepth of the ditch @and under -all of the-'various adjustmentsk producing a `ditch having a flat-bottom. f i

A further featurejof theinvention. is=involvedin thev means provided .for adjusting the .various-parts for thejconstructionof ditchers ofvariouswidths, depths and 'cross section. f r

Another feature ofthe 'invention is involved inQt-heprovisongof a movable `Wing, the lateralangle ofadjustinent of which may be changed Without alteringthel-adjustment of' the cutting share and the mold board. These-and other objects of `theinvention are hereinafter more fully described andrclaimed, and thepreferred formoffconstruction y of a ditchingmachine 4involving my invention is shown inf the drawingsin Which--d Fig. 1 is an elevationLof/the inner-face of the land side of themachine.

.FignQmis an` elevation of theouter face thereof.

Fig. 4 is `a/side eleva-tion of the complete machinel taken fromthe Wing side. Fig. 5 is alplan vievaofvthe machine.

'The land ,sidey of `my improved. ditching machineas showny in Figs. 1v and 2j isdesigf4 nated by thenumeral.- 9. and consists; of the forward ysteel plate` 10 andthe rear plate 11 which. are `arranged in the samevertical planecand secured/to theangle. irons 12 and 13 on the ,inside.-facethereof.as shownin Fig. 1. TheplatelOv being preferably. .riv. eted to the vanglebarsand.the rearplate 11 preferably bolted v thereto as. indicated: by the boltsfl and both the 'bolts and .rivets are preferably.I countersunk .to .come flush fWith ,the4 outer faceofithe. landV4 sideofthe machine. The angle iron13 has a-'three-fold ,purpose--.nainely,l to.y take, =the bending stressesS off the; plates. 10 and Y 11 and secondly tosupport a platforml which issecured to the angle iron 13 (by the.transversebars or angle `irons 1 7 riveted or, otherwise'.A secured 'so 1 Fig. B'is an inside elevation of the Wing.

tothe vangle iron 13. Thirdlyfthese angle irons12 and 13L provide acommon .means ot connecting and maintaining the two-platesy 10 ,and Hin-verticalposition. f `To,thei'orvvard end of thailandV sideplatelis secured, an .additional angle ironL 19 preferably. riveted to ,the l, inside,V face of the said plate. zThis angleiron 19 s .provdedwith aseries of apertures: 68 inthe. horizontalilange and for this purpose.

these are utilized a means of adjustment between the share and the land side 9 as hereinafter described. The plate 11 is adjustably connected to the angle irons 12 and413 by means of the bolts 15 heretofore mentioned, there being a series of apertures 18 provided The bolts 15 may be readily removed and the rear land side plate 11 raised or lowered relative thereto as will be readily understood. This enables compensation to be made for wearv and also is serviceable where it is dificult to hold the ditcher in a straight line as it allows the bottom cutting` edge to enter the earth to a greater extent than the adjacent edge of the plate 10. [t is to be noted in Fig. 2 that the plate 10 is wider at the forward end than at the point of junction with the plate 11,' the forward point 75 being substantially in the same horizontal line as the point 7G of the plate 11.

A draw bar 22 is also provided on this forward end of the plate 10 being connected therewith by the bolt 23 which extends through the plate 10 as shown in Fig. 2. The forward end of the bar 22 is secured to the plate 10 by the bolt 24 whichk extends through the holes 34 in the forward edge of the plate 10. This bar is a heavy piece of l iron and serves a two-fold purpose7 first that of providing an adjustable draft bar7 second, to take the bending stresses of plate 10 ahead of the angle iron 13. There is a series of holes 34 which allows a vertical movement of the bar which is provided in the forward extreme end with. a hole through which passes the bolt 26. As will be seen in Fig. this bolt 26 secures the hitching bars 27 and 27a at one end of each to the bar 22 and the other end of each is fastened to the chain 28 by the bolt 32.' The other end of the chain 23 has an. eye bolt on which a head is formed which head is passed through the pear shaped hole 29 in the moldboard thereby making a rigid fastening for the hitch on the wing side. By removing' the eye bolt from the hole 29 and turning' the adjustable bars 27 and 27a to the opposite side of the land side, as indi* cated in dotted lines in. Fig. 5. and again inserting` the head of the eye bolt in the pear shaped aperture 31 on the land side, the bitching' device is thus secured in its new position. This construction l allows the lateral adjustments of the hitch to be made easily and quickly. With. the bitching device securedv in this last named position (shown by dotted lines in Fig. 5) the draft power is applied in a line parallel with the land side at apoint to the left thereof considering the direction of movement of the device. Thismakes it possible for a team of horses or other power means to maintain a greaterdistance from a fence, wall or other device adjacent which the ditcher is to be 'angle iron 12.

operated and toward which the earth to be removed from the ditch is to be turned by the wing shown in Fig. 5 extending` at an angle to this land side.

The wing is composed of the wing plate 51, mold board 39 and share 40. The steel share 40 ispositioned below the mold board 39 and is detachably secured at the forward end to the plate by the bolt 35. The mold board is secured at its forward edge to this plate 10 by U `bolts 20 as shown in Fig. 5 as well as in Fig. 1. This steel share- 40 and the mold board 39, as will be observed more particularly in Fig. 4 have' their forward edges" lying` in the same straight line and theholes for the U bolts andbolt are sufiiciently large to allow some freedom of movement of the mold board and share thereon. the steel share and of that portion of the mold board 39 which lies below the forward extension 77 of the plate 10 and the portion of the plate 1() which is contiguous to these parts of the mold board and steel share, are sharpened or beveled to present a sharp cutting edge. It will be noted in Fig'. 3 that the mold board 39 and the share 40ers connected by means of strips 41 bol'tedvthereto on the inner side of: the said members. These strips tend to hold the mold board and share in a fixed relative position.

T also have provided a triangular shaped swinging wing adjustment platev44. This plate is hingedly attached to the rear ends of both the mold board 39 and snare 40, there being' hinge plates 43 and 43 secured to the mold board and share and companion plates secured to the swingingv wing plate. The two parts 43 and 43 and companion plates 45 receive the bolt 46 which secures the parts in the hinged relation. Preferably the lower hinge plate 43 is secured to the share 40 by bolts 72 allowing' the share tobe detached by simple removal of the bolts. To the swinging adjusting plate 44 is secured lthe main wing 51 which is hereinafter more fully described.

As will be seen more clearly from Figs. 3 and 5, there is provided an adjusting rod 4S, secured at one end to the inside of the mold board 39 by a yoke 47. the bar 48 being provided with an eye for thev yoke at that end whose axis is in. ahorizontal plane and with a hook at the opposite end formed at a right angle to the axis of the which may engage in any hole 67 provided in the forward end of the horizontal flange of the 1 There are several holes 67 provided for, this purpose whichV permits adjustment. of the angle of the entire wing member consisting` of the parts 39, 40, 44 and 51 relative to the land side. There is also provided a link of thev same general character as the bar or link 43 which is secured at one end to the rear end of the share The front end of l 40 by means Yof the yoke'49..:; Atl the-oppo site end thebar Oiis conn'ectedf'by meansv of a yoke end with the holesS inthe bar 19 at the forward end' of the vland side; lhese two bars 48 and 50 are thusv'utilized` inthe adjustment of the-angularityofthe.

wing member with the land side." Itis to be noted than' by use of the eye ofthe bars 4S and 50 to connect with the yokel members 47' and `49, the'wing lmay 'be' 'adjusted at various angles relative'to the land sidefwith# of" the ditch and'tuiningthe same over 'and' covering all vegetable lmatterthat isbn-the also 'provided a bolt 54 in the plate 44 fwliich extends through an arcuate slot 59; in'the wing share and similar slot 59l in thief-'angle iron supporting plate 56 "secured lto' the wing member. rlhis slot'a-ndbolt permit pivotal adjustment of the wing'inembe'rl. vThere is a' seriesof vbolts 58-'pass-ing'tliitough the angle 'iron 56 supportingtlie wingshare.

vThis enables the wing shareto be removed for sharpeningv and part ofthe functionlof this wing share is to cut into the bankof the ditch above the flatl bottoniy thereof. This wing share 56 ytherefore cuts rintothe bank of the ditch being formed and -the wing and share together take thedirt'A displaced by theshare 40in the bottomfof the ditch and also' that removed from-the-side baril; ofthe ditch and discharges itlup yand out of the ditch. Vinasmuch as there "are xk'vay vrious heights of-r banks, particularly 1 iwhere an oldditch is being clearedy-tliewingvis made adjustable about the pivotpo-intor bolt` 53. This adjust-ment is secured-.by

Yforming a series of -apertures-in'- the 'upper end 'ofthe plate-44fwhich may'be'aligned respectively with a similar'seriesofvbolt apertures 55al in'the upperI forward-edge of the wing plate 51. These'series ol'apertures are formed on a radius from thepivot bolt 53. Thereis a vnumber of :bolts V52' provided to engage in these apertures tofzmaintainl the wing plate atilthelesiredz angle. lt will be noted that, by removing` the bolts and loosening th`efbOlt'54, a vertical adjustinent of the wing 51 may be secured and preferablyv the adjustment has such a' range that the lower edge of the wing may occupy various positions from below a horizontal line with the share 40 to an angle of apustmentsf i in r any direction. of the wing 51 is provided with twosocket proid-mately@fortyy or Vforty-five: degrees above the horizontal. This: angle; of adjust: ment'offthe wing ,51asiy the-:lateral adjustment thereof previouslyJ described,. in,` combination withithevarious adjustments of the' mold boardf39 and share 40 through the adjustment-of the links 4S* and 50, provides ameans by whichditches of various widths and ofvaryingi heights of bank'or distances to the side ofthe ditch to whichtheearth is deposited can be secured. Bythis arrangement-'of parts, Yditches either wide ror narrowand deep or shallowl arereadily formed. This' isaiiimportant feature of, my. improved ditching machine inasmuch as any possible combination'v of adjustments can be secured inthe device of'widths and depthsiof thelditcli and the wing adjusted to'felevate fthe removed earth to theI sides of thefditch depositing' itfo'nthe top or:` over'the bank of the'ditch. f

The angle iron 56 provides a strengtheningmemberfor the wing: plate -51 and a 'means forA detachably vsecuring the wing share 57' within the recessedr lportion .pro-

vided therefor'. inr the wing member f51as Awill be understood from the drawing.

There isalsoprovided a wing adjusting rod 61. This is secured-.tothe wing 51by, a

yyoke 60 `which passes .through theI eye 62' in the endof therod. IThe bent. end-'63v o'f the rodl 61 engages the. horizontall flange of the angle iron 12 :which isr provided with a series of apertures 73 to receive said `bent end.v

As there is a `rseries ofiapertures .extending longitudinally: of thek angle ironA 12, various `adjustments .may be `made of" the :wing membery 51' as is indicatedz in dottedlinesv inA Fig. 5. The eye GQOf therodGl provides a pivotal connectionl betweenithe rod andlwing 51 permittingl bothhorizontalf and vertical ad- The .rear end members 64 and 64'whichi arey offhollow cylindrical-form.toreceivetheend' of a handle f `.65. This handle isto'be used bythe koperator vin the adjustment of thewingmember and Vvtoholdit at. any desired point.

` It is also to benoted that the bottomedge of thevwfing s-not formed'zon a ysinglestraight line butthat the share.57 is at a certain angle to thefhorizontalfand that thelower edgefofthe wing lfrom the end., ofthe wing 'share'` 57 tothe rear of the wing Amember 51 vthe. angle toi the horizontal is less. 1 Thisy Adropfin the angle ofthe. lower edge of the Wing Amember produces the rounding., shape which it isdesired to-'givefthe vditch bank, the lower Awingsedgenotz being in exactly al -straightline but yinc-reasingin .degree of curf vature toward the end as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. It will also be noted 'from Fig. 5

rthat the mold board 39 and share 40 are adjustable in angularity relative to the land side by the adjusting rod 50 which is securedv to the angle iron 19 by the bent end 8l and also by the curved rod 48 as heretofore described which is secured to the angle iron l2 by the bent end 80. These bars hold the share and mold board in the adjusted relation with the land side 10. The wing 51 is not adjustable with the mold board 39 and share l-O but is independently adjustable lat erally by the rod 6l, the wing 5l and plate la being pivoted to swing on a vertical axis relative to the mold board 39 and share 40.

The variation of the angle of the wing 5l relative to the horizontal may be made irrespective of the angle assumed by the mold board and share. Thus these adjustments may be made independently one of the other.

Preferably, the share l0 is made from a y high. carbon steel. The point 69 is drawn to a sharp bevel edge and turned slightly outward to present a plow like pointtobetter engage the ground. This turned edge is indicated by shade lines in the dra-wing. The edge 87 to about the point 70 is sharpened and is alsocurved slightly outwardly as indicated by shade lines. This gives a good cutting edge for the share and removes all growing vegetable matter in the bottom of the ditch. It is further to be noted that this edge of the plow share extends below the lower edge of the land side l0 as is indicated by dotted lines in Fig. l starting from the point 75. The wing share 57 is also preferably made of a high carbon steel sharpened at the lower edge and turned slightly forward to present a sharp cutting edge as is indicated by shade lines in Fig. t. It is also to be vnoted that the forward entering edge of plow share and mold board extend practically at the saine angle to the vertical. This angle is of considerable importance in that at all times in the various adjustments of the parts this edge is in cutting position withregard to the ground or bottom of the ditch being formed.

From the above description it will be readily understood that the device is designed to secure a flat bottomed ditch rather than the J type which many previous ditching devices have been designed to make, and that I am able tov` secure this fiat bottom of the. ditch and still readily remove the earth displaced by the share l0 by means of the pivoted wing adjustable both laterallyand vertically producing a curved bank free from vegetation due to the sharp edge of the wing share 57 and further that the device is of` comparatively simple and inexpensive form and rea-dily adjustable to provide ditches of various widths, depths and height of bank.

' Having thus fully described my invention,

what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates is- 1'. In a ditching machine, a land side having a rearwardly sloping forward edge, a

wing member having a forward and a rear part, means for adjusting the rear part relative to the forward part on a vertical axis and means for adjusting the said rear part relative to the forward part on a horizontal axis, the said forward part having a rearwardly sloping edge pivotally connected with the forward edge of the land Aside and adjustable in a horizontal plane only relative to the land side, the said pivotal connection of the forward `part of the wing l.

member to the land side restricting the adjustment-of the parts to variation-in angle in a horizontal plane to vary the width of the ditch and preserve a fiat bottom.

2. In a ditching machine, a land side, a wing member of two parts, the forward part being pivotally connected with the forward edge of the land side and relatively yadjust- .I able in a horizontal plane only, the said rear wing part being curved transversely, and a forward portion of the wing member coni sisting of a rigidly connected share and mold board.

3. In a ditching machine, a land side consisting of a metal plate positioned in a vertical plane and having at the lower side of its forward end a rearwardly sloping edge, a wing member having a forward part provided with a similarly sloping edge pivotally secured to the land side to turn in a horizontal plane only, means for adjusting the langular position of the wing member in said horizontal plane, the said wing member comprising the said forward part, a rear part and a plate interposed between the said parts, said plate being pivoted to the rear edge of the forward part to swing on a vertical axis and the said rear part'being pivotally connected to the said plate adjacent its bottom end to swing on a horizontal axis, and means for adjusting the said rear part on the vertical axis relative to the forward part.

In testimony I sign this specification.`

ROBERT o. CHATTIN.'

soy 

